Destiny's Touch (The Complex Book 0)

by Jane Hinchey

  With the Intra scrambling, I had a small window of opportunity, and I took it. I spun, leaping for the door, and hit enter. The latch clicked. I threw my weight against the door—and the pain that followed burned me from the inside out. An electrical volt sizzled through my veins from the taser blast in my back.

  I fell, my body seizing and heart racing. My breath had frozen in my lungs. As my vision darkened, I wondered if they'd set their guns to kill. The pain cocooning me now felt too great to be anything else. My last thought, before darkness claimed me, was that it seemed father dearest had gotten his wish after all.

  I woke up in a cell, head pounding.

  So I wasn't dead, then. But I was a prisoner, that much was clear. I lay on a hard cot pushed up against one wall, my wrists cuffed with glowing shackles designed to block my powers. Sitting up, I drew my knees to my chest and rested my back against the wall, taking stock of my situation.

  I had been betrayed yet again by Maddax and captured by the Intra. I wondered what charges had been laid against me. I hadn't technically escaped from the Complex, but I doubted that would matter. Or maybe was this my father's doing—exerting his influence, since his assassin had so far failed to kill me.

  "Emilea." Maddax's voice came from the small window in my door. I couldn't see him, and I was grateful for that. Despite all the pain he'd brought me, my heart still skipped a beat at the sound of his voice. My body still responded to him, no matter how much I told it to quit.

  He sighed. "I know you're awake."

  I remained silent. I had nothing to say to him. One part of my brain wanted me to rant and rave at him, to tear strips off of him for what he'd done to me. But what would that achieve? Nothing. And I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he'd hurt me. So in silence, I seethed, teeth grinding.

  He went on regardless, his voice low. "I need to explain. I wasn't sent by your father. Yes, I'm Intra, but I was brought in to go undercover to disband the Humans First movement. There had been word about the street fights, and we thought they were the Resistance training new recruits. So I infiltrated as a fighter. It didn't take me long to realize the street fights were harmless. They had nothing to do with the Resistance, but by then, I'd met you...and I couldn't walk away."

  He blew out a breath, pausing as if waiting for me to say something, then continued when I remained silent.

  "I didn't lie to you about my feelings. I love you. Heart and soul." Another pause. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth, about who I am and what I do. I'm sorry you found out the way you did. If I could go back in time and change it, I would, I swear. Please come to the door. Let me see your face. Let me look into your eyes. Please, my little fire bird, look into mine and know I'm telling the truth."

  A tear squeezed out of my tightly closed eyes and slid down my cheek, followed by another. I bit my lip to keep from sobbing. He sounded sincere, but actions spoke louder than words. And I had all the proof I needed. I was cuffed and locked inside a cell, by his hand. I couldn't let him worm his way back into my heart. I couldn't trust him.

  "They're coming. I've got to go. I love you." His whispered words were laced with an anguish that echoed in my own chest.

  I heard a door opening in the distance and Maddax’s footsteps as he hurried away. He wasn't meant to be here talking to me. He'd broken the rules for me. But I couldn't bring myself to believe it was because of love. It could be another trick. A way to use me. For what, I had no clue, and the frustration of my own thoughts had me dropping my forehead to my knees and squeezing my eyes shut again. I didn't understand any of this.

  "Emilea?" Maddax's voice was loud in my ear.

  I rolled over on my cot, groaning. My body hurt. I was a myriad of bruises. My guard had taken a particular dislike to me, and every time he entered my cell, it was to deliver a blow or push me to the floor and kick me. Still cuffed, I was powerless, defenseless. Initially, I'd been able to avoid his blows and get in a few of my own, thanks to my fighting skills. But he'd cottoned on fast and begun tasering me first, then laying into me while I writhed on the ground in agony. And I couldn't heal. I was pretty sure I had a broken rib, because breathing hurt, and I knew it was a matter of time before he inflicted some serious damage. I didn't know what I'd done to deserve such treatment. Maybe this was how the Intra treated all their prisoners.

  "Emilea?" His voice was more urgent this time, and I roused myself.

  What did he want? He hadn't been back since that first day, when he’d tried to speak to me. That had been...five days ago? I'd lost track of time. I had no idea if it was day or night. My guard liked to turn my light off and keep me in darkness most of the time. Again, I wondered why he disliked me so much.

  "What?" I muttered, wincing when the split in my lip reopened.

  Sighing, I rolled up and sat on the edge of the cot. Moving hurt. Breathing hurt. Living hurt. Clearly, my brain was too fuddled for me to even be listening to him. I heard his sharp intake of breath, knew he must've seen the bruises on my face. I squinted, trying to see through swollen eyes. I could just make out his outline.

  "What do you want?" I grumbled.

  "Christ," he swore. "Who did this to you?" There was anger in his voice, but I was too numb to care.

  I spat blood onto the floor. "Intra." Talking kept opening my split lip, and blood pooled in my mouth.

  "They'll pay," he said. "I'll make them pay."

  "Why do you always make everything about you?" Anger rolled through me. "You're sorry? So what? You love me? Yeah, right. You're getting me out? Why now? Because I'm being beaten on a daily basis and you've only just got your ass down here to check on me? Yeah, that's love right there. Asshole." Exhausted by my outburst, I wheezed, sucking in short sharp breaths.

  "Emilea?"

  "Shut. Up," I growled.

  "Come on. Let me help you up." His hand took my upper arm and tugged. I allowed him to pull me to my feet, biting back a cry as his fingers dug into my bruised flesh.

  "If you take off my cuffs, I can heal myself," I snapped.

  "Can't do that just yet, sweetheart. Soon, I promise." The door to my cell stood open and he led me toward it. I shuffled along, my body throbbing with each step. It took an age to reach the end of the corridor and get into the waiting fasttrans.

  "Where are we going?" I asked, sagging against the wall to catch my breath.

  "To a meeting with General Taine. It took me all week to gather the evidence we need and get the Ama Seldova to agree to a meeting." He turned to me, brushing my hair back from my face. "Just remember that I love you.” I pulled away, and he sighed. "I can't bear to think that I've hurt you. I'm making this right."

  If only I could believe him. The fasttrans doors slid open and I allowed him to help me out. My trembling legs were too weak to support me, and it pained me that I needed his help. I faltered for a minute when I saw who was before us. Sitting behind a long table was Nathan Clifton—the president of planet Raxu. Next to him sat my father. In the center, there was a man dressed in an Intra uniform who I didn't know, and on the other side of him was a woman with long white hair braided over one shoulder. She looked familiar.

  I heard their startled gasps at my appearance. I probably stank to high heaven, for I'd been offered no access to a bathroom since my incarceration. Maddax guided me to a chair that had been placed in front of the table, then stood behind me and rested one hand gently on my shoulder.

  The blonde woman turned accusing blue eyes to the man next to her. "Would you care to explain her condition?"

  A blush heated the man's cheeks, and he looked at Maddax. "What is the meaning of this? Who has abused her?"

  "My guard," I said, wiping my mouth on my sleeve when it started to bleed again.

  "See that he is dealt with," the man said to Maddax. Then his eyes met mine. "I'm General Taine. Maddax has fought valiantly to get us all here today on your behalf."

  I inclined my head, acknowledging what he'd said. I was still confused
. I still didn't know why I'd been arrested. No one had told me the charges. And why was my father here? I looked up at him. His scowling face assured me that his feelings toward me had not changed. He hated me. He wasn't concerned in the least that I was hurt.

  "And just why am I here?" I asked.

  The next hour passed in a blur. An unbelievable, eye-opening blur. Maddax presented proof that my father had paid an assassin to kill me. The assassin in question, Maddax's ex-army buddy, had spoken at length in a video recording about the contract he’d signed with my father—and also the details surrounding my arrival at the Complex. He told them I hadn't been a volunteer, but rather drugged and delivered against my will. President Clifton was furious, judging by his narrowed eyes, flushed cheeks, and clenched fists.

  "The evidence before us is damming beyond a doubt, Mike," the president said to my father. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

  My father glared at me as he spoke. "I did what had to be done to protect my family's honor."

  "You bring your own family into disrepute with your actions." The president sighed. "I will deal with you when we return to Raxu. All I can offer this hearing is my apologies. I am embarrassed that the experiment within the Complex—an experiment we have all sworn to support and uphold—has been compromised by the misguided actions of one person."

  The general inclined his head, accepting the apology. My father had gone pale, but remained silent. I didn't need any more of his vitriol aimed my way.

  The general then turned to the blonde woman by his side. "Eimear, you were brought here today to speak of Emilea's heritage. I invite you to do so now."

  I sat up a little straighter. Now it was getting interesting. My fuddled brain had finally registered why Eimear was so familiar to me. She was the woman from my vision, only older.

  When Eimear spoke, her voice was clear and strong. She wasn't intimidated by these men or the situation. "Emilea is my daughter."

  Her words penetrated my brain. I was her daughter. She was my mother. Tears filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks. I made no effort to wipe them away.

  My father roused himself, pushing to his feet. "What is this?"

  "When Emilea was born, her eyes told us she would one day grow into a young woman of great power and ability," Eimear said. "Given that our species was already on the decline, and knowing our enemies would seek to destroy her, we hid her. To save her life and our race."

  "But my wife gave birth to her!" My father's voice rose several octaves.

  Eimear shook her head. "The child your wife gave birth to was ill. Dying. We switched Emilea with her. You and your wife never knew."

  "What of my child? My real child?"

  "She died. Her heart was weak. We did what we could for her. We used our power to try and save her. She did not live beyond seven days." Eimear's voice was soft and compassionate, though I wasn't sure my father deserved her compassion. She turned her attention to me. "We had always meant to return for you, my daughter. But the war all but destroyed our realm, and you hadn't come into your power. You were still too vulnerable to return. It was safer to leave you with the humans."

  "Even though he hated me!" I couldn't control the outburst.

  Eimear smiled sadly. "But your mother loved you with all her heart. I knew this. I sensed it in her. I would never have left you otherwise."

  "She died when I was seven years old." More tears fell, both for the mother I'd lost as a child and for my birth mother who'd given me up to another woman.

  Eimear smiled and a warmth rushed over me, wrapping around me as if in a loving embrace. She was using magic to calm me, to heal the hurt in my heart.

  "I felt it when your power was awakened and I began searching for you, but you'd disappeared from Raxu, where we'd left you. No one knew what had become of you." She cast an accusing glance at my father before turning her blue gaze back to me. "Then I heard about an Intra named Maddax, who was making a lot of noise about an influential man on Raxu who had drugged his daughter and had her brought to the Complex against her will. He led me to you. Word is already spreading about the Phoenix in the Complex."

  "Why am I so special? Why would your—my—enemies try to kill me?"

  "You have a very unique ability, Emilea. Within you lies a DNA shortcut. Any child you give birth to will be a Phoenix, no matter who the father is."

  I frowned. "I thought only two Phoenixes could produce a Phoenix child."

  Eimear nodded. "Usually, that is true. But every now and then, a Phoenix with mismatched eyes is born. Within them is a DNA mutation—one that could save our species."

  "So, what—you expect me to spit out as many babies as possible to boost the population?" I was gob smacked and appalled. No way was I repopulating anything.

  "No, my dear, of course not. A Phoenix with your ability hasn't been born in over five thousand years. Since then, technology has made impressive advances. We can now isolate the DNA mutation and use it to our advantage. You don't need to personally repopulate the Phoenix species."

  I still didn’t understand. "Why didn't you take my DNA as a baby? Why wait?"

  "Because you hadn't transitioned into a full Phoenix. A Phoenix child doesn't come into its power until adulthood. That's why our race has suffered such debilitating numbers. Our children were murdered in an attempt to wipe us out."

  Silence filled the room, until the General cleared his throat.

  "Now that the family reunion is out of the way and we have established who belongs to whose bloodline, we still have the matter of the Humans First Resistance to address." He turned to me. "Emilea, you were identified in footage taking part in a Resistance rebellion. What do you have to say about that?"

  "The Resistance contacted me about training them. I'd never heard of them before that, so I went along to meet them. As soon as I saw what they were doing, what they really stood for, I tried to leave, but fights had broken out. I was caught in the cross fire. I'm not involved with the Resistance."

  The general didn’t look convinced. "Why would they ask you to train them?"

  "Because I'm an excellent fighter. I know you know about the street fights, otherwise you wouldn't have sent Maddax in undercover."

  The general nodded. "The street fights have to stop," he said.

  "Why?" I challenged him.

  "We don't want to encourage violence in the Complex."

  "People need a way to let go of their frustration. If you gave them an outlet, maybe the Resistance wouldn't be getting such a stronghold."

  "What are you suggesting?" He cocked his head, appearing very interested in my response.

  "Legal fights, with rules and conditions."

  The general steepled his fingers in front of him while he thought long and hard about what I'd suggested. Finally, he nodded his head. "I shall consider it. Given what I have heard today, along with the detailed evidence submitted by Maddax, I tend to agree with his findings. You're free to go. Any charges against you will be dropped. Regarding your treatment while you were incarcerated, I will require a statement. Rest assured, the Intra responsible will be dealt with. Harshly. Maddax, please remove her restraints and get the girl to medical."

  "Medical won't be necessary." Eimear rose from the table and came toward me as Maddax removed the glowing cuffs from my wrists. "I'll heal my daughter."

  Outside, I lifted my face to the light and sucked in a deep breath. After being incarcerated for days in darkness, the fresh air and sunshine felt good.

  Maddax stood to my left, Eimear to my right. I could feel them both looking at me, knowing they were waiting for me to say something. What was there to say about the fact that I'd found my birth mother and the knowledge that I was the answer to a dying race? "Yay?"

  And as for Maddax, he had his heart in his eyes, begging me for forgiveness. He was responsible for my freedom, and for finding my mother. How was I supposed to turn him away?

  Although I was healed, clean, and freshly clothed, my mind was still a me
ss. I didn't know what to think, let alone say. So I said nothing. We walked in silence for several minutes before a clear thought popped into my head.

  "Is Tomb okay?" I asked.

  Maddax looked surprised but he nodded his head. "He's fine. He’s on probation for the street fighting, but if you get your way, those charges might be dropped."

  "Good. I don't want to see him get in trouble for me."

  "Emilea, we need to talk. You must make a decision about your future." Eimear clasped my hand and I felt our connection. It was so strong that as soon as her flesh touched mine, I knew without a doubt that she was my mother.

  "How could you leave me?" I burst out. "I was a baby. I needed you. And you left me!"

  "It broke my heart to do so." Eimear's blue eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled. "You were very much wanted and loved. Your father and I did not want to give you up, but we knew once word got out about you, our enemies would find a way to see you destroyed. We gave you up because we loved you. We wanted to give you a chance at life."

  She pulled me into her embrace. Reluctantly, I wrapped my arms around her, letting the tears flow. All of the years of hatred from my father had been erased with my birth mother’s love.

  "What of my real father?" I asked, pulling away. "Why is he not here with you?"

  "He died in the war." My heart ached that I would never know him, but now that I had this opportunity to have a family who loved and wanted me, it was something I couldn't turn my back on.

  "The president has given you permission to leave the Complex, if you wish. Will you come with me?" Eimear asked.

  "What? No!" Maddax sounded pained. "Emilea, please hear me out before you make such a decision."

  I glared at him. "You've said enough, Maddax. You lied. Repeatedly. What am I supposed to do with that? How can I trust anything you say?"

  "I'll do anything. Anything! Just give me a chance," he begged. "Give us a chance. Stay. Continue with the experiment and give me time to make things right. Please."

  I shifted uncomfortably, torn between wanting to leave with my birth mother and wanting to stay. Maddax did mean something to me. I’d be lying if I said he didn't. But he'd hurt me, and it was true when I said I wasn't sure I could trust him.